Ten Count
by obsessedwithstabler
Summary: And then the lights went down... Cowritten with The Confused One.


Wow, I am such a dork. I was going through my stories when I found this, and I was like, didn't I already post this? Apparently not. Well, I wrote it with The Confused One the night that Ten Count aired, and apparently I just lost it somehow. *shrugs* Oh, well. This is strictly an MC story, so all you MC shippers rejoice! Enjoy, and please remember to review!

Disclaimer: Not mine!

CICICICICICICI

Sighing heavily, Mike was continuing to brood. It wasn't supposed to end like this. He was supposed to protect Peter, not let him fall. He wasn't supposed to have to arrest him. His phone rang, and he glanced at it. Seeing who it was, he went back to his paperwork. He was caught up now, but he didn't want to be. That meant going home and facing the people he just couldn't bring himself to face yet.

Wheeler glanced up from her share of the paperwork. "You going to answer that?"

Mike shook his head for the fourth time. "No. It's just my wife." He'd talk to her when he was ready.

She closed the folder and considered talking to him, but the look on his face quickly erased that thought. She shut down her computer. "It's late. I'm going to head home."

Mike glanced at the clock. It was pushing one. He nodded. "Yeah..." He sighed. "I'll see you in the morning." He looked back down at the very last of all of his paperwork and debated going home. He knew he needed to.

She slung her jacket over her shoulders. "Night, Logan."

Mike looked up again. "Night, Wheeler." He sighed and watched her leave. He finally made his decision. Finally getting up, he gathered his things. He had to go home.

Driving home, alone with his thoughts, Mike tried to make sense of what happened. He tried to understand what happened. He went over and over it in his mind, trying to figure out what he could have done differently, what he did wrong.

Arriving at home, Mike stared at the house for a long few minutes. Finally deciding to get out, he opened the door and slipped out. He made his way up the stairs, onto the porch, and then quietly opened the door. It creaked, and he cursed it. He hoped she was asleep. He carefully and slowly made his way into the den.

Carolyn was curled up on the couch, her tiny son tucked protectively into the crook of her arm. When the door opened, her eyes shot open. "Mike...?"

Nearly flinching, Mike sighed. He had been hoping that he could get something to drink, get into the bed, and go to sleep without having to talk. He stopped short and looked at her on the couch. He could easily make her out in the moonlight. He approached her and whispered, "Yeah, it's me..."

She turned her head, yawning. "Why didn't you answer your phone? I was worried."

Mike closed his eyes. He nodded. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry you. I just I couldn't talk."

Jake stirred in her arm, grunting softly. Carolyn smiled. "He missed you."

Mike gave her a ghost of a smile. "I missed him, too." He moved to them. "Can I hold him?" He needed his son.

She nodded. "Sure." Sitting up, she carefully passed their baby boy into his father's arms.

Mike carefully took the baby into his arms. He held him close. Closing his eyes, he sighed heavily. He kissed the top of his son's head. Looking down at Jake, he studied him carefully. Jake was two weeks old. His life had just begun. Mike couldn't help but think about how much potential Jake had. How much potential Peter had thrown away. He took a shaky breath.

She studied him intently, trying to gauge his emotions. "Mike, baby, you can talk to me," she murmured.

Mike closed his eyes. He held Jake even closer. He swallowed hard. "I know I can." But he didn't want to talk about this.

She reached out, running her fingers through his hair. "Then talk to me."

Mike took a sharp breath. He continued to look at Jake. He held him closer. "I had to arrest Peter today..."

Her lips parted in surprise, and she sat up. Then she wrapped him in a tight hug, careful of the baby. "God, baby... I'm so sorry..." She knew that Mike loved that kid like his own, and she could only imagine how hard it must have been for him.

Mike closed his eyes and buried his face in her shoulder. He took a shaky breath. "He got ahead of us. He moved faster than we did. He got there first. It was too late... He killed him. Said his brother had always taken care of him, and he had to do the same..."

She gently stroked his hair and kissed his head.

Mike took a ragged breath. He continued speaking, "Gus got to him. He was right. He gave Peter that instinct back. So he found out he figured it out, and we didn't get to him again..."

"What happened? she whispered, though she wasn't sure she wanted to hear.

Mike took a deep breath and tried to explain. "We talked to Gus. He said that I had made Peter soft. That I had ruined him. But he had brought his killer instinct back. Claimed that Peter's girlfriend lied to us. We went to Peter, talked to him. He said he paid for the room, but we knew he couldn't have. He figured it out, who killed his brother while we were talking. We went to the hotel, got confirmation that it was Gus. I knew Peter knew. I tried to get there in time, but he was already there. He was just sitting on the bench, covered in blood. He was staring at Gus body. He God... He beat him death." A tear finally escaped.

"Mike..." He was kneeling by the couch, so she slid off of the couch and gathered him into her arms again, hugging him tightly as she rubbed his back. "Shh..."

Mike buried his face in her neck again. He never wanted to let her or their son go. He was still just in shock. He was supposed to take care of Peter, and he had failed spectacularly. "I should have stopped him. I should have known..."

"Baby, you couldn't have known..."

Mike shook his head. "I did. I know him. I know what he's capable of..."

"But there's no way you could have known he would do this."

Mike took a shaky breath. He shook his head. "I should have. I should have stayed with him. I let him think he couldn't trust me. I let them bring him in and accuse him. He didn't trust me anymore."

She looked at the clock on the wall and sighed. "Sweetheart, you've had a long day. Let's lay the baby down and go to bed, okay?"

Mike shook his head immediately. He pulled back, horrified. "No. No. I Can he sleep in the bed with us?" He needed their son close. He needed both of them.

Her fingers ran through his hair. "Okay. Jake can stay with us."

Mike was relieved. He sighed heavily. Stroking Jake's cheek, he whispered, "Thank you..."

She kissed his head and got to her feet, gently pulling him up along with her. Then she turned around and guided him into the bedroom. Taking the baby out of his arms, she said, "Get changed."

Nodding slowly, Mike took a shaky breath. "Yeah..." He moved to his closet on autopilot and got his pajamas. He changed into them and looked at Carolyn. She was laying in the bed now with Jake. Crawling onto his side of the bed, he moved to them and wrapped his arms around them. He held them close and swallowed hard. It made him feel better to be closer to them.

She kissed his head, her arms protectively cradling her son who was resting on her chest. "I love you, Mike..."

Mike took a shaky breath. He nodded. He knew it was true. "I love you both. So much... And I'm always going to be here with you two. Always. I'm going to take care of you both."

She nodded to the baby. "Do you want to take him?"

Mike nodded eagerly. He easily and happily took Jake. He immediately held him close to him. He closed his eyes. "Thank you."

Since Mike was holding their baby, she stretched and curled her toes. "He loves you, babe."

Mike swallowed hard. He nodded again. "I know, and I love him, too. I love him so much. I just want to protect him. I want to make sure he never has to go through what I went through or what Peter went through... I want his life to be everything it can be."

"It will," she promised. "It will. We'll make sure of it."

Mike nodded, a little relieved. He looked up at her. "I know you'll make sure of it. I don't want him to end up... He has so much potential, and I don't want it to be wasted."

"He does have amazing potential." She smiled. "If he doesn't get your temper."

Mike raised his eyebrows. He looked up at her. He gave her a ghost of a smile. "Yeah... As long as he doesn't have my temper."

"Or your nose." She leaned over and kissed it.

Mike raised his eyebrows. He shook his head. "We already know he doesn't."

She smirked. "But I made you smile."

Mike snorted. He nodded. "A little..." He swallowed hard.

"I'll take that over nothing."

Mike sighed softly. He nodded in return. "I really am sorry I worried you so much."

"It's okay. Your boy kept me company."

Mike sighed softly. He looked back down at Jake. "I'm glad you kept Mommy company." He knew she had needed it.

She reached out and rubbed his back, smiling when Jake snuggled into Mike's strong chest. "My boy..."

Mike shook his head. He met her eyes and insisted, "Our boy." He'd do anything for him too.

She snorted. "No, Mike. He's mine." She looked at Jake. "Right, big boy?"

When Jake didn't react at all, Mike smirked. "See? He knows he's not just yours."

"He can't talk, Logan." Jake grunted softly, and Carolyn's eyes lit up. "He does agree with me."

Mike looked down at Jake, surprised. He was about to speak when Jake grabbed his finger. He grinned widely again. "No, he agrees with me. He was just agreeing that he can't talk yet."

She snorted and started laughing. "You just enjoy confusing us, huh, Jake?"

Mike smiled softy. He nodded. "I think he does." He sighed softly and moved up against her with the baby.

Carolyn raised her head and kissed the top of Jake's sweet smelling head. "My boys."

Mike sighed softly. He met Carolyn's eyes. "We should try to sleep." He was sure he wouldn't get any, but he wanted Carolyn to get some.

"Okay." She pulled both of them into her arms, gently rubbing Mike's shoulder. "You need to sleep too, baby."

Mike nodded. "I know, and I'm going to try." He just didn't think it would work.

Jake snuggled into Mike's chest, yawning and stretching. He found his fist a few seconds later and shoved it into his mouth, then settled down again.

Mike couldn't help but smile. He closed his eyes and settled down. He tried to fall asleep, but quickly found it wasn't working.

When he still wasn't asleep a half hour later, Carolyn grew worried. "Baby..." Her voice trailed off. She wasn't sure what to say to calm him down and help him relax.

Mike frowned, surprised. He had assumed she was asleep. "I'm sorry... I thought you were asleep."

"No, I'm awake." She snuggled closer to him.

Mike swallowed hard. "I don't mean to keep you up... You should sleep."

"You should, too, sweetheart."

Mike sighed. "I know, but I don't think it's going to happen. I could go into the other room."

Her grip tightened on him. "Neither of you are going anywhere."

Mike swallowed hard. He hesitated. "Okay..." He sighed. "You should still try to sleep then."

"I've been trying." But she knew that he hadn't been able to sleep, and it made it nearly impossible for her to.

Mike sighed. "That's why I wanted to get up. So you can sleep."

"But it'll be worse if you leave." She looked at their sleeping son. "I want him close."

Mike carefully moved Jake just a little closer to her. "Here we go..." He didn't want to keep Jake away from her.

She smiled and reached out, rubbing Jake's little back. "Sweet little man..."

Mike took a shaky breath. "The best thing I've done in my life."

"Me, too," she agreed softly.

Mike swallowed hard. "I just don't want to screw up with him. Like I did with Peter."

"You won't. I won't let you."

Mike nodded slowly. "Good... Yeah..." He moved up against her. He trusted her. He knew she'd make sure their son was okay. He just wanted to be closer to her.

She held both of them tighter. She was telling the truth. Whatever happened, she would try to make sure neither of them screwed up too badly with this precious gift.

Mike sighed softly. "He was too young to be throwing it all away. We had him. He just couldn't let us take care of it..."

"Mike, sometimes it happens. Sometimes you can do everything right, and things still come out wrong. The only thing you can do is to try your hardest."

Mike shook his head. He snorted. "That's not good enough. It's not enough in this case... It just... I failed him."

"Mike, sweetheart..."

Mike shook his head. He insisted, "No. No, I did. I didn't stop him. I didn't make sure he was taken care of. My God, his brother was murdered... It didn't occur to me that, with his temper, he might go after the guy if he found out who it was first? I was stupid, and it's going to cost him the rest of his life."

"Mike, it's not your fault. Nobody forced him to do this. Nobody."

Mike snorted. "No. Nobody made him, but nobody stopped him either. I should have been there to do that."

"Baby..."

Mike shook his head. "No excusing it. I should have. I let him down. I didn't do the one thing I was supposed to do. Be there for him, help him..." He had taken Peter on years ago, and he had only wanted to see him succeed. He had been determined to make it happen.

She sighed heavily, turning away from him. "I don't know what to say to you."

Mike frowned. He sighed. He turned, with the baby, to stare at the ceiling. His mind going over what he could have changed over and over again.

Carolyn looked at her watch. It was nearly two in the morning, and Jake would be looking for something to eat son. Sitting up, she took Jake out of Mike s arms, then leaned back against the headboard.

Mike sighed heavily. He turned on his side to watch her. He met her eyes. I'm sorry, Carolyn. I know you're trying to help, and I need to let it go, but this one isn't going to be easy."

She nodded, carefully pulling her shirt off so she could nurse her tiny son. "I know, baby. I just hate to see you hurting so badly."

Mike swallowed hard. He reached out and placed his hand on her leg. "I know, but I'll be okay. I'm always okay." He had been through worse.

"You try to be." Jake latched onto her breast and began nursing greedily, his hand coming to rest on the top of her breast.

Mike met her eyes. He insisted, "I am."

She smiled gently. "Okay." But she knew better. She had witnessed the nightmares, the sleepless nights. Those weren't just caused by nothing.

Mike sighed softly. "I don't have a choice, Carolyn. You're right. I have to get past this. I have to move on."

She nodded. "If you won't do it for you, do it for Jake."

Mike nodded slowly. "I know, and I will." He hesitated. "It's just going to take a little time."

"I understand." She shifted in the bed, careful not to jostle Jake.

Mike swallowed hard. He reached up and rubbed Carolyn's arm. He just wanted to be close to them right now.

She smiled at him. "I love you."

Mike smiled back. He met her eyes. "I love you, too."

Jake's hand closed into a fist, and Carolyn flinched a little. "I love you, too, Jake."

Mike frowned. "Are you okay?" He could see she was in a little pain.

She smiled. "I'm still a little sore."

Mike looked at Jake's hold on her. Suddenly understanding, he sighed. "I'm sorry..."

She shook her head. "It's fine, baby. He needs to eat, and I love feeding him. He's just got really sharp little fingernails."

Mike nodded in agreement. He had a couple of places on his arm to prove it. "Yes, he does..."

She gently rubbed Jake's back. "He has your appetite."

Mike grinned. "As long as he gets everything else from you."

"Whatever." When she looked down, Jake was looking up at her, and she smiled.

Mike smiled at his little family. They were the best thing for him. "I'm serious. I want him to get everything from you."

"He's not going to, and I'm glad."

Mike shook his head. "You like taking away my dreams there, don't you?"

"Yes."

Mike smirked. He kissed her. "I love you." He sat up and kissed her.

"Love you, too." She smiled at him, then Jake.

Trying to help, Mike reached over and slipped his finger between Jake and Carolyn's breast. When he wrapped his little hand around his finger, Mike smiled.

Carolyn relaxed and grinned at her son bonding with his father. "Thanks, sweetheart."

Mike looked up at her and smiled. "You don't have to thank me." He looked back down at Jake. He loved their son more than anything.

Finally Jake was finished nursing, and Carolyn gently shifted him to her shoulder, grinning when Jake snuggled into her. She began patting his back gently.

Mike sat back and watched them. He felt lucky. He had this family. He had to focus on that.

"He's so tiny," she murmured. Ever since the first time she had laid eyes on her son, she had been concerned about how small he was. But all the doctors and nurses had assured her that he was perfectly healthy, and he was growing just fine.

Mike nodded. He reached up and rubbed his back. "I know. It's amazing..." He couldn't get enough of their baby boy.

She turned her head and locked eyes with her husband. "He is amazing." She finished burping him, then offered, "Do you want to hold him?"

Mike swallowed hard. He hesitated a moment before nodding. "Please..." He wanted his son. He needed the comfort of both Carolyn and Jake.

Very slowly, she passed their dozing son into her husband's arms. When he was safely cuddled into Mike's chest, she leaned back against the pillows, relaxing.

Mike held Jake closely. He was so in love with his tiny baby boy. He sighed softly and carefully laid down with him. Maybe he could get some sleep now.

Holding out her arm, Carolyn allowed Mike to curl into her with Jake cuddled carefully into his chest. "I love my boys," she murmured.

Mike grinned, looking down at Jake. "And we love you, too. Very much."

Jake yawned and cuddled into the big, familiar warm body.

Mike smiled again. He relaxed. "I think he's really beginning to know when it's us." That made him happy.

"I think so, too. She reached out and slipped her finger into her son's tiny fist.

Mike smiled. He snuggled closer to her and closed his eyes. He sighed softly. "I'm glad..."

"So am I. He's my boy."

Mike snorted. He sighed softly and corrected her again, "He's our boy."

She touched her nose to his. "Who gave birth to him, Logan?"

Mike raised his eyebrows and hesitantly replied, "You did."

"Yes, I did. I can say he s my boy if I want."

Mike swallowed hard. He hesitated. "But he's my son, too. I gave him half his genes..."

"I didn't say he wasn't your son, too."

Mike relaxed a little. "That's true."

Her smile turned into a frown. "Mike, you don't think I'd take him away from you, do you?"

Mike shook his head immediately. He met her eyes. "No. No, I know you wouldn't do that."

"Good. She nuzzled her head into his neck. "I wouldn't."

Mike nodded. "I never thought you would."

"I wouldn't." She toyed with Jake's tiny, soft hand.

Mike smiled as he watched the two of them. Relaxed again, he closed his eyes. With a soft sigh, he thought, maybe, he could finally sleep.

Carolyn yawned softly. "I love you."

Mike yawned in return. He smiled. "I love you, too."

She smiled. For all of his flaws, for all of his mistakes, he was a good man. All she wanted was for him to see the kind, loyal, trusting man that she saw every day.

Laying with her, Mike was able to finally able to relax. With her, the case stopped haunting him long enough for him to fall asleep. He couldn't save Peter anymore, but he could protect Jake.

The End

A/N: There ya go! MC is always yummy, and we hope everyone enjoyed it. Thanks for reading, and please remember to review!


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